John and Jesus

Jesus confirms the importance and relevance of John the baptist. He honours him and challenges the people about why they went to see and hear him in the wilderness for years (Matthew 11:7-15). It was not because John could give them money, or was a pleasing site, but because of his gift of being a prophet. Not only a prophet, but the one who was also prophesied about, the Elijah that was to come. As it says in Malachai 4; “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” Not only was Jesus’ birth prophesied and expected as The Messiah, but the second Elijah was also expected to come, and John is confirmed to be this man. He was the one who began the work Jesus was to finish. 

John declared that the Kingdom of Heaven is near, and people turned their hearts and lives around because of his message, then they were baptised for the forgiveness of sins because of him. He was the pre-cursor to Jesus, and he lived in humble obedience to that, but Jesus also shows great value and honour to John. Jesus declares that, “among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.” (Matthew 11:11). No-one, no human person is better that John! What a great commendation from no other than The Son of God! John had lived declaring who God is to those around him, learning to be obedient himself, living differently, and faithfully sharing with the people what God had told him to. Therefore he was seen by God’s own Son as the greatest! John is publicly affirmed. Even though at this time John is imprisoned. Jesus is not put off by the strangeness of how John lived or his current circumstances like some were, for he was not swayed by popular opinion, but instead saw the heart and nature of who John was, and in the eyes of the Kingdom of Heaven, he was someone great! 

Jesus and John had different lives, styles, routines and habits, but they still followed God and honoured and valued one another in private and in public. They were both about Kingdom business, but in their own way and they respected one another for it. Do you do the same? Do you honour and speak well of those who declare the gospel even if they have different ways, cultures, routines and lifestyles? Jesus was accused of being a drunkard and a glutton (v19) and John was an interesting site to see eating honey and locusts and dressed in sackcloth! They had completely different lifestyles, but the same message. Some people accepted one and could not understand the other, some people rejected both of them, for they will reject the gospel no matter how it is presented or by whom. What is your response to those with the same message but different ways? Do you hear the truth and accept the differences? Do you honour, respect and value the Kingdom work others are doing even when it is in a different manner to what you are used to or prefer?

The second Elijah - the greatest of men, and the Son of God, both declared the same message of repentance and salvation. They did it through different means so that all people had the opportunity to turn and believe. This shows the love and kindness of God, that He gives people of different cultures, backgrounds, styles and life experience the same message that there is a God that loves you, and His Kingdom is near. God wants everyone to hear the truth of who He is and have the opportunity to join His family. That is why there are different people with different gifts, styles, cultures and behaviours. It is so that people who are far off and near by have the chance to see and hear who He is. 

Therefore let us take inspiration from the relationship that Jesus and John had. Acknowledge, appreciate and commend those who are about Kingdom business. If the message is the same and people are being shown and drawn into the Kingdom of Heaven through the declaration of who Jesus is - the Son of God, and people are repenting, being baptised and living life following Jesus, then show that you value your brothers and sisters who are doing this. Publicly and privately honour and value them and their message for they are reaching a people you can’t. The King and His Kingdom are being shared and people invited into it, so celebrate and appreciate the work God has called others to do.

Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked

 Psalm 140:1–13 (ESV):  

1  Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; 

preserve me from violent men, 

 2  who plan evil things in their heart 

and stir up wars continually. 

 3  They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, 

and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah 

 4  Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; 

preserve me from violent men, 

who have planned to trip up my feet. 

 5  The arrogant have hidden a trap for me, 

and with cords they have spread a net; 

beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah 

 6  I say to the Lord, You are my God; 

give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord! 

 7  O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation, 

you have covered my head in the day of battle. 

 8  Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; 

do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah 

 9  As for the head of those who surround me, 

let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! 

 10  Let burning coals fall upon them! 

Let them be cast into fire, 

into miry pits, no more to rise! 

 11  Let not the slanderer be established in the land; 

let evil hunt down the violent man speedily! 

 12  I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, 

and will execute justice for the needy. 

 13  Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; 

the upright shall dwell in your presence. 

Evil people plan your demise. They may not seem wicked, in fact they may be friends walking right next to you, planning to trip you up, hiding traps, snares and nets for you to get entangled in. For how can someone you don’t know be so well acquainted with your paths and ways? Some of the people you are living life with may turn out to be arrogant, violent and wicked. Yet do not concern yourself, or get worried or overwhelmed by this. For you have The Lord your God on your side. Look at David, Isaiah, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus and Stephen as examples - they were well known for being men of God. Through their lives they suffered and were persecuted, often by people they knew. Yet that did not stop them! Instead of giving into fear and turning away from what God had called them to, they turned to God in their discomfort and desperation. 

In this psalm David recounts his concerns about the ways the wicked are trying to get him. He calls out to God saying, ‘You are my God….my Lord, the strength of my salvation….Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked’. When you see wickedness, when you hear of the plots of evil and see unholiness, recognise it for what it is, do not be afraid to name it and appeal to God to stop it. Righteousness and wickedness hate each other. This means men and women will battle against the will of God, even unknowingly, because it causes them discomfort in their wicked ways, and so they seek to end it. When you see this, do as David did and implore God to not let evil prevail. Then remember that He is ‘the strength of my salvation’. You can depend upon God to bring salvation to His people, to end evil and to be your strength. You will suffer, yet, you can also be assured that God has a purpose and salvation in mind through what is happening.

Followed by David’s outpouring of fury and pain, he concludes his prayer in confidence saying ‘Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name’ because God ‘will execute justice’. When you know who God is and what His character is like, you can rest in confidence even when surrounded by enemies, persecuted, trapped and hunted. In the end, God’s people will have reason to worship as God ‘will execute justice’. There will be nothing anyone can do about it, God will not be held back, He WILL have His way. So you can be confident that anything and anyone that comes against Him will be dealt with. So, bring your concerns and fears to God, your emotional response to whatever is going on, and remember just who God is. learn to depend upon His mercy, strength and judgement. Be sure to acknowledge that God is in charge even when wickedness seems to be winning. God is your salvation, your hope, the bringer of justice, He will ‘maintain the cause of the afflicted’, and He will prove, once again, that He is worthy of praise. The day will come when the suffering stops, evil exists no more, and wickedness wanes. You can guarantee that because God reigns. 

Truth and Trust

 Psalm 119:113–120 (ESV): 

Samekh

 113  I hate the double-minded, 

but I love your law. 

 114  You are my hiding place and my shield; 

I hope in your word. 

 115  Depart from me, you evildoers, 

that I may keep the commandments of my God. 

 116  Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, 

and let me not be put to shame in my hope! 

 117  Hold me up, that I may be safe 

and have regard for your statutes continually! 

 118  You spurn all who go astray from your statutes, 

for their cunning is in vain. 

 119  All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross, 

therefore I love your testimonies. 

 120  My flesh trembles for fear of you, 

and I am afraid of your judgments. 

'I hate the double-minded, but I love your law.' People can twist the truth, manipulate words, seem to say one thing but mean something else. God doesn't. God doesn’t lie, He is not ambiguous, manipulative or deceptive. God and His every word are true and genuine. Therefore when you rely on Him and His Word, you are basing your decisions on truth, and so you get protection, hope and clear direction. Not so when you rely on the words of others. Whose words do you trust in most? Do you completely trust in what God has spoken? 

You can have confidence that as you believe in and abide by Scripture, God will protect, comfort, save, and refresh you. When tough times come, i find strength and hope when i pray God’s words back at Him. For His promises are true and steadfast. God doesn’t change his mind or go back on what He has said like people do. Praying God’s words can help remind you of what God has said, and help you hold onto the personal and scriptural promises over your life. This has certainly refreshed my faith and provided comfort when i have been struggling and petitioning God for breakthrough.

Think of Jesus and his time in the wilderness when the devil challenged him (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus overcame temptation through using Scripture. He recalled it and stood firm on what he knew God has said, and in the end the enemy fled! It was hard for Jesus to resist those temptations, and he didn’t have to recall and stand on The Truth just once for the enemy came several times. Jesus had to repeatedly recall Scripture and fight with God’s promises before he saw the breakthrough. You too will need to continue to fight with The Truth. Don’t let the devil wear you out or convince you, he never tells the full truth, only God does. Therefore it is only God’s Word that can be your hope in hopeless situations, your peace in times of chaos, and your protection in times of conflict. It is an effective weapon, are you using it? 

Psalm 119:120–128 (ESV): 

Ayin

 121  I have done what is just and right; 

do not leave me to my oppressors. 

 122  Give your servant a pledge of good; 

let not the insolent oppress me. 

 123  My eyes long for your salvation 

and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise. 

 124  Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, 

and teach me your statutes. 

 125  I am your servant; give me understanding, 

that I may know your testimonies! 

 126  It is time for the Lord to act, 

for your law has been broken. 

 127  Therefore I love your commandments 

above gold, above fine gold. 

 128  Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; 

I hate every false way. 

In this section the writer seems to plead for salvation. He seems worn out yet has hope, and is holding on, even though he sees evil seeming to win. This person is experiencing a time when they have faith and trust in God, but are afraid of being in the hands of ‘my oppressors’. It appears that this situation has been going on for a while as they say they ‘my eyes long for your salvation’, so the implication is that they have been looking out for God to act for some time, and they are still wearily waiting and watching for the circumstances to change. Yet, although they seem despondent, they are not hopeless. 

This writer also recognises their rightful position as one who is NOT in charge. They do not tell God what He should do, but ask, ‘i am your servant, give me understanding’. I think that is a powerful mindset! Although this person is being oppressed and is patiently waiting, they are ontinuing to live life in a godly manner. They are not yet seeing breakthrough but are suffering, and they know God can change things, yet they humbly accept that He has not done that so far. The writer realises that they have no right, as a servant, to boss God around, although they probably wish they could! 

Instead of this psalmist responding in anger or frustration to this continued plight, they continue to pray and live faithfully following God. They are not giving up. For they know and trust that God is good, just and righteous. They are not seeing the change they are hoping for, so they continue to trust that God will do something as His ‘law has been broken’. This person knows they need the strength to wait, and to keep watching out for their salvation. Is that not a powerful witness of genuine faith? To humbly accept the oppression, and to humbly hope and trust The Lord for salvation?! The author does not try to rush the solution and find other ways to get free, but waits, prays and continues to follow God’s instructions. 

How do you respond to God in times of pressure, or when God does not do things the way you think He should, or in your timing? 

The lord of The Lord

Psalm 110:1–7 (ESV):  

1  The Lord says to my Lord: 

“Sit at my right hand, 

  until I make your enemies your footstool.” 

 2  The Lord sends forth from Zion 

your mighty scepter. 

Rule in the midst of your enemies! 

 3  Your people will offer themselves freely 

on the day of your power, 

in holy garments; 

  from the womb of the morning, 

the dew of your youth will be yours. 

 4  The Lord has sworn 

and will not change his mind, 

  “You are a priest forever 

after the order of Melchizedek.” 

 5  The Lord is at your right hand; 

he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. 

 6  He will execute judgment among the nations, 

filling them with corpses; 

  he will shatter chiefs 

over the wide earth. 

 7  He will drink from the brook by the way; 

therefore he will lift up his head. 

This psalm is a revelation that David had that there is a power and authority greater than any influence or position anyone can hold on Earth. He starts off by expressing, ‘the Lord says to my lord’, this indicates that David, even as a king, is in submission to someone higher, his 'lord'. David accepted and enjoyed that fact. For he knew that no matter how powerful, rich or renowned he may get, there is another greater than him in heaven. God revealed to David that there is a lord of the Lord. This is Jesus. 

I think it is amazing how God reveals himself to us. David dld not have the knowledge or understanding of what God had planned. He only had Old Testament scriptures to read to find out anything about God. So when God chose to speak to David the words of these psalm, it must have seemed incredible. David could not fully grasp what was being told to him, but we know can see that God spoke to David about His Son Jesus. God did not explicitly reveal what was to come, but he gave David indicators of what the future would hold. These things would have been strange to the ancient Israelite mind, however when David had this revelation of a lord of the Lord, he knew that this information was inspired by God and of importance so he wrote it down. Even though David could not fully understand it himself, he realised that what God was showing him was significant enough to make the effort to record it. This lord, God revealed, was to be a ruler, have power, be holy, bring judgement, be a priest ‘after the order of Melchizedek’ and sit at God’s side, yet drink water like the rest of humanity does. This revelation showed this lord’s humanity, humility and holiness, and Jesus fulfils each of these. 

What a revelation that David had! Here we are thousands of years later, reading in awe that God has been revealing his Son for thousands of years - even to people who cannot fully grasp what it means! David wrote this about one thousand years before Jesus was even born. Then, during his ministry, Jesus confirms these exact words brought to David - that he, Jesus, is the lord of the Lord, (documented in Matthew 22). Isn’t that incredible?! This writing was kept safe for that length of time, Jesus knew it, and we still get to read it 3,000 years later, plus we now understand it and can see how it points to Jesus! 

God has been revealing himself since the beginning of time and God speaks to His people. David, influenced by the Holy Spirit, wrote down this vision of the promised messiah. I am sure that most of what David wrote probably did not make much sense to Him. A lord of the Lord, people freely giving themselves to God, and being clothed in holiness. This would have been difficult for David and those of his time to imagine how this could be possible. For they lived at a time when Israel alone was the holy nation, the only people set apart for God, they alone were His people. So how can any person who chooses to; give themselves to God, become holy, and be one of His people? The Levites, the set apart priests were the holiest people you could get. Yet they had to go through rituals of cleansing to be sanctified, and that just lasted for a short time in order to perform their duties. So, how can there be people ‘in holy garments’ just because they ‘offer themselves freely’? This was so far beyond David’s experience and the Israelites that it must have brought confused hope as well as an awe of God. I bet those that read or heard these words at the time wondered how any of this could be possible. 

How privileged are we that we now live in those foretold days. We can approach God freely, no animal blood required, no cleansing rituals, no set appointments, dates, festivals, times or places. You can offer yourself freely today into the hands of God. You do not have to be from a particular background, culture or nation, or even particularly good, you can freely come into the presence of God and be made holy! For ‘The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind’! The promise that God made to David, was that Jesus would come, and that people can come to him of their own accord and be made holy. You can do that today. You are invited and welcomed into His presence, always and whenever you like, because Jesus has made you holy. God has been planning and preparing for millennia that people like you and I can become holy, without sin, and become His family. Isn’t that awesome?!

God has promised in his holiness:

 Psalm 108:1–13 (ESV):  

1  My heart is steadfast, O God! 

I will sing and make melody with all my being! 

 2  Awake, O harp and lyre! 

I will awake the dawn! 

 3  I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; 

I will sing praises to you among the nations. 

 4  For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; 

your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. 

 5  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! 

Let your glory be over all the earth! 

 6  That your beloved ones may be delivered, 

give salvation by your right hand and answer me! 

 7  God has promised in his holiness: 

“With exultation I will divide up Shechem 

and portion out the Valley of Succoth. 

 8  Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; 

Ephraim is my helmet, 

Judah my sceptre. 

 9  Moab is my washbasin; 

upon Edom I cast my shoe; 

over Philistia I shout in triumph.” 

 10  Who will bring me to the fortified city? 

Who will lead me to Edom? 

 11  Have you not rejected us, O God? 

You do not go out, O God, with our armies. 

 12  Oh grant us help against the foe, 

for vain is the salvation of man! 

 13  With God we shall do valiantly; 

it is he who will tread down our foes. 

From verse 5 this psalm is the same as psalm 60. I wonder why this section has been repeated. So, today, we will look at the listed places more closely to try to understand why the judgements and promises upon these places is so significant. But to begin with lets consider that the first few verses as they are an encouragement to exalt God, to worship Him and give thanks to Him. When you recognise His love and faithfulness, you can trust that what ‘God has promised in His holiness’ He will do. That includes the blessings and curses over people and places, as we shall see as we consider the named areas that are spoken of;

Shechem God proclaims will be divided, and the Valley of Succoth portioned out. These places are situated at one extreme to the other in the Promised Land with Succoth on the East and Shechem on the West. Thereby signifying that God will apportion all of the Promised Land and assign every part of it for His purposes. There is no part that cannot and will not be redeemed in God’s hands. What God wills, happens. Shechem was a special place for the Israelites, being the place where Abram received the promise of the Promised Land, many generations before this psalm was written. It was also a place remembered for sin, when Jacob’s daughter was raped by his son, Shechem. Therefore the reputation of the city was divided, being a place known for worship by Abram and Jacob, but also known as a city of man’s sin. Therefore the promise that this place would be physically divided to represent the divided reputation makes sense. God is promising to outwork physically the division that has begun spiritually. The Valley of Succoth  is promised to be portioned out, the other side of the Promised Land. This was where Jacob stayed for a while after marrying both Leah and Rachel. It was a temporary abode, which is why it has this name which means tents or booths. No longer will this land be a place of temporary living. God decided that it would be a permanent living space for the tribe of Gad. The proclamation over these towns shows that God can change the story and the reputation of places. If God can do this for towns, cities and nations - what do you believe He can do in the lives of individuals? Does that alone not make you want to sing His praise and give Him thanks?!

Next this psalm mentions that Gilead and Manasseh are owned by God. Reuben, Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh inherited the land of Gilead to the East of the Jordan river. They requested to remain there when they arrived at the Promised Land, and their wish was granted. The land of Manasseh in the Promised Land was apportioned to the other half of that tribe. This shows the unity of the nation. Even though they had different areas to inhabit, they are still one nation. The tribe of Manasseh, though split in it’s inheritance was joined through God’s blessing and kingship. Wherever you are, if you are one of God’s people, you remain one of His people. Different tribes, different locations, different people, but one kingdom under Almighty God, therefore lets 'sing praises to you among the nations.'

‘Ephraim is my helmet’. Ephraim was one of the prominent tribes of Israel and this phrase signifies Ephraim's strength, power and security, all of which are ordained by God. Being a place centrally located in the Promised Land, it was a place of safety, especially as it had one of the 6 cities of refuge within it, plus it housed the Tabernacle. Therefore a place of physical and spiritual safety, a place used to resemble the importance of God being the centre. God established the place of worship and meeting with Himself in the central location of the Promised land, amongst a place and tribe which is strong and secure. What a beautiful image that keeping God at the centre brings these attributes!

Judah is God’s sceptre. A sceptre represents power and leadership both in the military and public domain. God promised in the Old Testament that ‘the sceptre shall not depart from Judah’ (Genesis 49:10), so God is reminding people that He always fulfils His promises, even though it may be generations later. God is steadfast and faithful. God will always work to ensure that His will is done, it may not look like it to us, and there may be waiting involved, but what God determines, He will do. God decided that rule and governance belong to this tribe. Years after entering the Promised Land, Israel saw this in part as King David was of this tribe, so showing God’s steadfastness. Jesus also is from the tribe of Judah, beautifully demonstrating that forever the law, rule and authority still belong to Judah. Jesus is reigning in right power now at the right hand of God the Father in the heavenly realms. Jesus now holds the sceptre - he is the one who reigns, leads and has authority. Are you trusting in Him? 'For your steadfast love is great above the heavens'.

‘Moab is my washbasin’. The area of Moab was a neighbouring kingdom of Israel. So this phrase demonstrates that God is the God and king of all nations. Even the ones who do not honour Him like Moab. God determined that Moab would be minimised in prominence and become a place used in service for His purposes, like a washbasin. This phrase is in line with the sense of a servant who brings a wash basin to clean the feet of guests. Moab is less important than the servant as they are merely the bowl in God’s eyes. Therefore, even when Moab rises in power in history, God always ordained for it to be insignificant due to their lack of recognition of Him and His power. Now, Moab does not exist as God has fulfilled His promise over this place. One whose people used to terrorise His nation now no longer exists, such is the judgement of God. If people choose to reject and deny God, this is fair warning that even if they seem to have moments of success and renown, God will keep His promise to diminish them if they refuse to turn and believe in Him. Such is God's love and faithfulness for His people.

‘upon Edom I cast my shoe’. Shoes are dirty, even nowadays, but at a time when the roads were dusty and dirty with no concrete or pavement, imagine how grimy they would be. God saw Edom as a place worthy of only having a dirty, discarded shoe thrown at it! This demonstrates God’s frustration with the actions of the Edomites. They were meant to be a part of Israel as they were descended from Esau, the brother of Jacob, but as generations went by they showed contempt and hatred for the nation of Israel. Some of the ways Edom showed their dishonour for their kin were by; not allowing them safe passage, raiding them, and rejoicing when Israel was brought low. Therefore God’s judgement was that He would throw His shoe at them. This shows His contempt for their actions, His frustration at how they have treated their brothers. Yet this response seems mild in comparison for what they have done. This is because God gives everyone the opportunity to know His anger at sin and the chance to repent. Edom had treated God’s family with dishonour, so He dishonoured them, but not with the full force of His wrath. Instead, God chose to throw His shoe to express His displeasure and give people the opportunity to turn to Him. He is still doing so, giving people the opportunity to receive salvation.

For many generations the Phiistines had been enemies of God’s people. They seemed to be strong, mighty and authoritative, yet God says He will shout in triumph over them. As David brought down one giant Philistine in his youth, so God used him to wipe out the Philistines when he was king. God shouts in triumph over those who make themselves His enemies and the enemies of His people. So, which side are you on?

So, overall, what can we take from God’s promises for the lands and the peoples? 

- God has a plan that will be fulfilled

- God gives people a chance

- God honours those who love and follow Him, and fights on their behalf

So, today, are you someone who God favours? Are you one of His people, with promises over your life that you are obediently waiting to be fulfilled? Or are you one who is rejected by God and waiting for Him to throw His shoe at you? Be mindful how you live. God’s purposes will always be fulfilled. ‘with God we shall do valiantly’. How would you do without Him?

Resilient love

 Psalm 106:1–48 (ESV): 

Praise the Lord! 

  Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, 

for his steadfast love endures forever! 

 2  Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, 

or declare all his praise? 

 3  Blessed are they who observe justice, 

who do righteousness at all times! 

 4  Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people; 

help me when you save them, 

 5  that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, 

that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, 

that I may glory with your inheritance. 

 6  Both we and our fathers have sinned; 

we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. 

 7  Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, 

did not consider your wondrous works; 

  they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, 

but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. 

 8  Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, 

that he might make known his mighty power. 

 9  He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, 

and he led them through the deep as through a desert. 

 10  So he saved them from the hand of the foe 

and redeemed them from the power of the enemy. 

 11  And the waters covered their adversaries; 

not one of them was left. 

 12  Then they believed his words; 

they sang his praise. 

 13  But they soon forgot his works; 

they did not wait for his counsel. 

 14  But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, 

and put God to the test in the desert; 

 15  he gave them what they asked, 

but sent a wasting disease among them. 

 16  When men in the camp were jealous of Moses 

and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord, 

 17  the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, 

and covered the company of Abiram. 

 18  Fire also broke out in their company; 

the flame burned up the wicked. 

 19  They made a calf in Horeb 

and worshiped a metal image. 

 20  They exchanged the glory of God 

for the image of an ox that eats grass. 

 21  They forgot God, their Savior, 

who had done great things in Egypt, 

 22  wondrous works in the land of Ham, 

and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. 

 23  Therefore he said he would destroy them— 

had not Moses, his chosen one, 

  stood in the breach before him, 

to turn away his wrath from destroying them. 

 24  Then they despised the pleasant land, 

having no faith in his promise. 

 25  They murmured in their tents, 

and did not obey the voice of the Lord. 

 26  Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them 

that he would make them fall in the wilderness, 

 27  and would make their offspring fall among the nations, 

scattering them among the lands. 

 28  Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, 

and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; 

 29  they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds, 

and a plague broke out among them. 

 30  Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, 

and the plague was stayed. 

 31  And that was counted to him as righteousness 

from generation to generation forever. 

 32  They angered him at the waters of Meribah, 

and it went ill with Moses on their account, 

 33  for they made his spirit bitter, 

and he spoke rashly with his lips. 

 34  They did not destroy the peoples, 

as the Lord commanded them, 

 35  but they mixed with the nations 

and learned to do as they did. 

 36  They served their idols, 

which became a snare to them. 

 37  They sacrificed their sons 

and their daughters to the demons; 

 38  they poured out innocent blood, 

the blood of their sons and daughters, 

  whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, 

and the land was polluted with blood. 

 39  Thus they became unclean by their acts, 

and played the whore in their deeds. 

 40  Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people, 

and he abhorred his heritage; 

 41  he gave them into the hand of the nations, 

so that those who hated them ruled over them. 

 42  Their enemies oppressed them, 

and they were brought into subjection under their power. 

 43  Many times he delivered them, 

but they were rebellious in their purposes 

and were brought low through their iniquity. 

 44  Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, 

when he heard their cry. 

 45  For their sake he remembered his covenant, 

and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love. 

 46  He caused them to be pitied 

by all those who held them captive. 

 47  Save us, O Lord our God, 

and gather us from among the nations, 

  that we may give thanks to your holy name 

and glory in your praise. 

 48  Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, 

from everlasting to everlasting! 

  And let all the people say, “Amen!” 

Praise the Lord! 

People are rebellious. They find reasons to follow one another rather than God all the time. The temptation to want to fit in, to be like others is powerful and can wreck your life. 

The Israelites kept looking around at the lives of others and they were jealous. Jealous of the way other nations could live, the allowances others had in different religions, and they were jealous of each other. This, every time, lead to sin, rebellion, and death. The pattern repeats in different circumstances and during different generations, it is historical and generational. The human propensity is to sin and rebel. Yet this is not the way of the true God-follower. 

The true followers of God, as depicted here in Psalm 106, like Moses and Aaron keep focussed on remembering who God is. They speak of God's deeds and character, they speak to Him and humble themselves before Him. Even when a multitude is against them. They also continually pray for those who seek their harm for their salvation. They keep focused on who they know God to be and act in response to His holiness and steadfastness. Even in the face of rebellion, harm, confusion and disaster, these two keep humbling themselves before God, and so they are known as obedient, godly men. They demonstrate something of the resilient love and forgiveness of God as they seek God to save the people time and again. Moses and Aaron are committed, loyal, loving and obedient examples of how to follow God, it wasn't easy for them. People are too eager to give up God to go the way of others, like the rest of Israel, to try to become powerful, in control of their own lives, or live as others do. Each and every time in ends up as a huge mess and God has to intervene because God continues His steadfast love and demonstrates His forgiveness and power to all, even when people have disregarded and abandoned Him. He forgives and He deals with sin. Again and again He has to deliver the nation of Israel, even just in the lifetime of Moses, and He continues to do so for all who repent.  

‘Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity.  44  Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry.’ God never gives up on His people. Although they disappoint Him, run after other things, disobey, rebel, sin, and end up in disastrous situations, God still looks upon their distress. Still He hears when they cry. God’s steadfast, resilient love endures forever. He will never stop caring about His people. His love and forgiveness never run out. 

You can come to Him today and repent, and be confident that again God will forgive you, even if He has done so already a million times already. His love for you is enough to cover everything you have ever done and will do. You can know the joy of His forgiveness and restoration, if that is what you choose. This does not mean that you should sin just so that you can feel that love and forgiveness, for, ‘blessed are those who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times’. It was better for Moses and Aaron because they loved God faithfully. They were set apart and favoured throughout the nations journey to the Promised Land due to their faithfulness, resilient love and humility before God. They did not suffer plague, being consumed by fire or being swallowed by the ground. They were at no risk of that because they were obedient. In fact, instead, when the nation rebelled, they were used by God to bring about the restoration of God to others, they were the vessels through which God chose to demonstrate His judgement, grace and mercy because they kept faithful to Him. Surely, better to continue as a righteous one than suffer the poverty and depravity and judgement of the rebellious. 

Today consider;

• Is your love for God resilient? 
• Are you struggling to continue the way of the righteous? If so, be warned that if you go another way, you will provoke the anger of God. 
• Have you sinned and rebelled and want to return to God? Then humble yourself and pray, for God loves to demonstrate His steadfast love and forgive. 

Remember God's deeds, His character and His resilient love and choose today what you will follow; your own sinful desires, the others around you, or those who follow Christ and enjoy living in the resilient love of God.

God is present and in charge

Psalm 105:1–45 (ESV): 

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; 

make known his deeds among the peoples! 

 2  Sing to him, sing praises to him; 

tell of all his wondrous works! 

 3  Glory in his holy name; 

let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! 

 4  Seek the Lord and his strength; 

seek his presence continually! 

 5  Remember the wondrous works that he has done, 

his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, 

 6  O offspring of Abraham, his servant, 

children of Jacob, his chosen ones! 

 7  He is the Lord our God; 

his judgments are in all the earth. 

 8  He remembers his covenant forever, 

the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, 

 9  the covenant that he made with Abraham, 

his sworn promise to Isaac, 

 10  which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, 

to Israel as an everlasting covenant, 

 11  saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan 

as your portion for an inheritance.” 

 12  When they were few in number, 

of little account, and sojourners in it, 

 13  wandering from nation to nation, 

from one kingdom to another people, 

 14  he allowed no one to oppress them; 

he rebuked kings on their account, 

 15  saying, “Touch not my anointed ones, 

do my prophets no harm!” 

 16  When he summoned a famine on the land 

and broke all supply of bread, 

 17  he had sent a man ahead of them, 

Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 

 18  His feet were hurt with fetters; 

his neck was put in a collar of iron; 

 19  until what he had said came to pass, 

the word of the Lord tested him. 

 20  The king sent and released him; 

the ruler of the peoples set him free; 

 21  he made him lord of his house 

and ruler of all his possessions, 

 22  to bind his princes at his pleasure 

and to teach his elders wisdom. 

 23  Then Israel came to Egypt; 

Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. 

 24  And the Lord made his people very fruitful 

and made them stronger than their foes. 

 25  He turned their hearts to hate his people, 

to deal craftily with his servants. 

 26  He sent Moses, his servant, 

and Aaron, whom he had chosen. 

 27  They performed his signs among them 

and miracles in the land of Ham. 

 28  He sent darkness, and made the land dark; 

they did not rebel against his words. 

 29  He turned their waters into blood 

and caused their fish to die. 

 30  Their land swarmed with frogs, 

even in the chambers of their kings. 

 31  He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, 

and gnats throughout their country. 

 32  He gave them hail for rain, 

and fiery lightning bolts through their land. 

 33  He struck down their vines and fig trees, 

and shattered the trees of their country. 

 34  He spoke, and the locusts came, 

young locusts without number, 

 35  which devoured all the vegetation in their land 

and ate up the fruit of their ground. 

 36  He struck down all the firstborn in their land, 

the firstfruits of all their strength. 

 37  Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold, 

and there was none among his tribes who stumbled. 

 38  Egypt was glad when they departed, 

for dread of them had fallen upon it. 

 39  He spread a cloud for a covering, 

and fire to give light by night. 

 40  They asked, and he brought quail, 

and gave them bread from heaven in abundance. 

 41  He opened the rock, and water gushed out; 

it flowed through the desert like a river. 

 42  For he remembered his holy promise, 

and Abraham, his servant. 

 43  So he brought his people out with joy, 

his chosen ones with singing. 

 44  And he gave them the lands of the nations, 

and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples’ toil, 

 45  that they might keep his statutes 

and observe his laws. 

  Praise the Lord! 

'Praise the Lord!' God is always present and in charge. Through the desert times, the promised land, when His people are outnumbered or a multitude, in the times of lack and prosperity, in darkness and light, in famine and harvest, God is present and in charge. God knows what He is doing and exercises His authority for He, ‘remembers his covenant’. God has been fulfilling his oath to Abraham ever since he gave it, for He is faithful. He is working to bring you and the rest of His people into the promised land. No other authority can have jurisdiction over your life. Yes, you may walk through times of poverty, success, hardship, brokenness, celebration and comfort. Yet, always God is in control. He has His plan and He will stick to it for He remembers ‘his holy promise’. 

Consider the life of Joseph (v16 - 45), he had a privileged upbringing in his youth, then his life radically changed as he spent a significant proportion of his adult life enslaved and imprisoned. It must have been very difficult for Jospeh to have become a bound man instead of a favoured one. How could he see where God was in that, or understand what He was doing? What about the promises and the dreams he had been given? Yet it was all in God’s plan. God was present and still in charge, He knew what He was doing. It was not because of the jealousy of Joseph’s brothers that Joseph ended up in this position, as i have always thought, but because ‘he (God) had sent a man ahead of them’. God used the family dynamics and the jealousy in order for His people to have life in the future. God, ‘sent a man’, It was God’s choice, He sent Joseph. Joseph was not gotten rid of or sold, but sent. Unbeknown to himself or anyone else, Joseph was sent to Egypt by God. God had planned for this to happen for He had a purpose greater than Joseph being a son and a brother. Joseph was to become a rescuer of God’s people. God purposed for the life of Joseph to look like this so that God’s kingdom could to come to Egypt, and ultimately His people could reach the land of promise generations later. 

God has a plan for the future for all of His people. That means that yes, suffering happens, but none of it is without purpose. God is always present and in charge, and He has a plan that your life will display His glory. Maybe you will end up imprisoned, accused, suffering, but that doesn’t mean that you have failed or God has left. As the life of Joseph shows, God can use any situation to display His kingdom. God used Joseph’s imprisonment to save the lives of millions of people, His purpose was salvation. It meant that life was difficult for Joseph for many years, but Joseph had to experience enslavement and imprisonment in order to be in the right place at the right time, for God, ‘had sent a man ahead of them’. All was in the plans and purposes of God. So, i wonder what God is preparing you for. When life is hard and you feel abandoned, overlooked, mistreated or persecuted, take heart. God always has a plan for His name to be glorified, and He is using you to achieve it! Joseph was ordained by God to become a ‘ruler’ and ‘to teach his elders wisdom’. This resulted in God’s people being transformed from a season of famine to fruitfulness! But the story of God’s people doesn’t stop there. The nation of Israel was then enslaved by the Egyptians, and Moses and Aaron were equipped and commanded to lead the them out from Egypt. From being slaves they left with riches! They witnessed miracles, hardship, and felt hunger but the sun never scorched them and the cold never overcame them, for God sent cloud and fire. God so loves and cares for His people, and He remembers and fulfils ‘his holy promise’. 

The story of Israel’s salvation and gaining the promised land wasn’t an easy one, so don’t expect your life to be either! Yet do not fear when trouble comes. God isn’t punishing you, He is preparing you. He needs you to depend and rely upon Him, so open your eyes to see the miracles and favour that He is giving you even within the difficult situations. God is using you to display your kingdom in a way that will glorify His name and be for the benefit of His people. Just like he did with Jospeh, Moses and Aaron. Therefore, when troubling times come, do not despair. Instead; ’call upon his name’, tell of his wondrous name’, ‘seek the Lord and his strength’, ‘remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgements he uttered’, ‘keep his statutes and observe his laws’ and then you will have the great and marvellous privilege of walking in the footsteps of Abraham, Joseph, Moses and Aaron to ‘make known his deeds among the peoples’. 

God has 'worked salvation'

Psalm 98:1–9 (ESV):  

1  Oh sing to the Lord a new song, 

for he has done marvellous things! 

  His right hand and his holy arm 

have worked salvation for him. 

 2  The Lord has made known his salvation; 

he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. 

 3  He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness 

to the house of Israel. 

  All the ends of the earth have seen 

the salvation of our God. 

 4  Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; 

break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 

 5  Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, 

with the lyre and the sound of melody! 

 6  With trumpets and the sound of the horn 

make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord! 

 7  Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 

the world and those who dwell in it! 

 8  Let the rivers clap their hands; 

let the hills sing for joy together 

 9  before the Lord, for he comes 

to judge the earth. 

  He will judge the world with righteousness, 

and the peoples with equity.

What an uplifting psalm, one that inspires praise for God has done ‘marvellous things’! What are the marvellous things you see that He has done? 

One of those marvellous, incredible things is that God has worked hard to bring salvation. God put in effort, and went through pain in order to allow you to enjoy salvation. It hurt Him and was difficult for Him to allow His son, Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice to abolish all sin. At the moment of Jesus death, for the first time in history, God and His son were separated. It was not an easy task to plan His son's death, but it was necessary for us to know forgiveness. God ‘worked salvation’ and suffered for our freedom. It was difficult, but God did it anyway. God wanted to achieve a way for all people to be made righteous. So, He planned it, put in effort and persevered even when it broke His heart. He wanted to ensure that there was a way for you to be free from sin and the associated guilt and shame. 

Yet, God’s salvation plan did not end there. He didn’t let salvation be a one time only thing. The pathway of salvation hasn’t withered, gone out of date, or been lost in decades past. God has ensured that all people of every generation, throughout history, and well into the future, can find their way to Him. For He has ‘made known his salvation’. The life, birth, death and resurrection of Jesus are not secret. There are historical eye witness accounts of it and people who follow God explain it. God’s salvation plan has been worked out and revealed for centuries. God is making sure that ‘All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God’.  He wants everyone to have the opportunity to know forgiveness and restoration through salvation, it is freely and universally available because of God’s love and faithfulness. God has worked salvation!

Interestingly, the same verse that tells us that salvation was worked out by God also says that salvation is ‘for him’, for God. Have you ever considered that? It is easy and natural for us to accept that salvation is for us as we get all the benefit of forgiveness, acceptance, being made new plus a restored relationship with God. It seems like it is all for us because of God’s great generosity and love. So what does salvation bring about for God? 

Well, God has always wanted a family. He started with Adam and Eve, and that was great for a while, but they sinned. Then time went on and Noah was saved out of the rest of the Earth, then we hear about Sodom and Gommorah. The pattern of humanities descent into sin and chaos is repeated throughout history. Yet so is the fact that God rescues, restores and favours a few. He notices those who follow Him the best they can despite the despair and dysfunction around them. So, He takes care of them and saves them even though they are not perfect. Why? because God wants a big family. He wants to be with people who know, love and appreciate Him, is that not what most of us want too? (No surprise there as we are made in His image!). This is why God has worked hard to bring salvation. He wanted to make a way for you to belong to Him so that you can enjoy His presence and He can enjoy yours. Salvation gives you the opportunity to know Him and approach Him as His son/daughter and that is what He has always wanted, this is why salvation is for Him.

What a reason to be joyful and appreciative of God’s kindness and great love! The whole of creation sings, claps and testifies of His goodness because He is righteous, fair and kind. How do you make your happiness known because your God loves you and has ‘worked salvation’ for you?

What do you do when your soul is full of troubles?

 Psalm 88:1–18 (ESV): 

1  O Lord, God of my salvation, 

I cry out day and night before you. 

 2  Let my prayer come before you; 

incline your ear to my cry! 

 3  For my soul is full of troubles, 

and my life draws near to Sheol. 

 4  I am counted among those who go down to the pit; 

I am a man who has no strength, 

 5  like one set loose among the dead, 

like the slain that lie in the grave, 

  like those whom you remember no more, 

for they are cut off from your hand. 

 6  You have put me in the depths of the pit, 

in the regions dark and deep. 

 7  Your wrath lies heavy upon me, 

and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah 

 8  You have caused my companions to shun me; 

you have made me a horror to them. 

  I am shut in so that I cannot escape; 

 9  my eye grows dim through sorrow. 

  Every day I call upon you, O Lord; 

I spread out my hands to you. 

 10  Do you work wonders for the dead? 

Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah 

 11  Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, 

or your faithfulness in Abaddon? 

 12  Are your wonders known in the darkness, 

or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? 

 13  But I, O Lord, cry to you; 

in the morning my prayer comes before you. 

 14  O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? 

Why do you hide your face from me? 

 15  Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, 

I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. 

 16  Your wrath has swept over me; 

your dreadful assaults destroy me. 

 17  They surround me like a flood all day long; 

they close in on me together. 

 18  You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; 

my companions have become darkness. 

Life is hard! 

Sometimes, when you think about all you have been through you can rack up the negative situations, experiences, health issues and relationship breakdowns and feel like this psalmist did - on the edge of death and despair. You can end up seeing that there is suffering from the start to the finish of life, and end up feeling empty, alone and as if life is vanishing from your body. Yet, what great advantage as believers in God do we have in these times! 

For you have someone to turn to, someone to moan at, and an eternal future to behold! Although life can feel cruel and miserable, in desperation you can cry out, ‘O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me?’ You have the great privilege of knowing who to go to when life seems insignificant, wearing and disappointing. For, where else can you go when your inner self is consumed with turmoil and misery - who else can know or understand your innermost thoughts when ‘they surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together’? Even if you have no person left who cares or you can trust, you have Jesus! 

Do not let the negative thoughts take over. Be real about how you feel, but seek the truth and trust and believe in that rather than get bogged down with emotion and circumstance. Look to the Word of God, talk with faithful, God-believing companions and keep praying. Seek the truth. For emotions, circumstances, memories, and even friends change, but the truth of God never fails! 

You may feel like you have no strength, death is close, that your ‘soul is full of troubles’, that your sin is too big, and that you have been rejected by all. Yet remember God. These psalmists do. They recall  that life isn’t over yet and that God is the ‘God of my salvation’ plus He cannot show wonders and love to those that are no longer on Earth, but He can to you who are alive. Therefore allow your mind to rest secure in the knowledge that He is your salvation. His faithfulness, love and power are certain. So call upon God everyday like the sons of Korah; keep praying, keep believing, keep waiting and see what God can do!

Forgiveness that never runs out

 Psalm 85:1–13 (ESV):  

1  Lord, you were favourable to your land; 

you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 

 2  You forgave the iniquity of your people; 

you covered all their sin. Selah 

 3  You withdrew all your wrath; 

you turned from your hot anger. 

 4  Restore us again, O God of our salvation, 

and put away your indignation toward us! 

 5  Will you be angry with us forever? 

Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 

 6  Will you not revive us again, 

that your people may rejoice in you? 

 7  Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, 

and grant us your salvation. 

 8  Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, 

for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; 

but let them not turn back to folly. 

 9  Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, 

that glory may dwell in our land. 

 10  Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; 

righteousness and peace kiss each other. 

 11  Faithfulness springs up from the ground, 

and righteousness looks down from the sky. 

 12  Yes, the Lord will give what is good, 

and our land will yield its increase. 

 13  Righteousness will go before him 

and make his footsteps a way. 

God not only provides one off salvation, but also offers forgivness and restoration to those who are His people but have gone astray, been disobedient and sinned. The sons of Korah recognise that God forgives completely. All sin is covered by Him, He leaves none left. Yet, our memories and behaviours do not always reflect this. We can still walk around as sinful people, or wearing the shame of a sinful past. Neither of these are necessary for this is known of God, ‘You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin.’

However, it takes time for you and I to walk free from some things. There are some wrongdoings or habits in our lives which we know God would want us to be rid of, but we have to put in some personal, painful effort to overcome them. It can hurt and be hard work to strive for freedom from sin. I am sure that this is why the psalmists say, ‘Let me hear what God the Lord will speak’. To overcome sin, wrongdoing and bad habits we all need encouragement, comfort, support and strength. Listening to God gives you that. I imagine this phrase was said pleading or in desperation, ‘Let me hear what God the Lord will speak’! When the desires of the flesh seem powerful and the voices of others tempting, ‘Let me hear what God the Lord will speak’! It is easy to hear what we want, what others say and to feel the cravings of the body, they can be consuming. So it is of great importance at those times to seek God’s voice by exercising discipline and taking time to hear Him. You may hear God speak through; recalling scripture, or reading it, praying, worshipping, speaking with a fellow believer or by being still. Just ensure that you position yourself so that you hear God’s voice during the difficulty. 

When you know you need to walk free from something you need God’s support. It takes a lot of strength to break habits, addictions and sin. Yet you are not on your own in this strive for freedom. God wants to to speak to you and encourage you plus He has restored and forgiven you already and He will revive you again. So approach Him about what is going on, ask for His forgiveness and for His strength. Let God speak to you, ‘for he will speak peace to his people’. In the midst of trial and temptation, how much do you need that peace?! The Holy Spirit can provide what you need, you just need to ask God to help you. You cannot break free of these things effectively in your own strength. It is a physical and a spiritual battle so you need God to help you. His is for salvation and restoration and He promises that, ’the Lord will give what is good’. Even if you keep failing in the endeavour for freedom, you can continue to ask God for forgiveness and freedom for He wants good for you, so keep persevering. God’s forgiveness and goodness never run out, even though it might seem like a long, painful journey to freedom. The battle may be long, but how long is it in comparison to God’s salvation and steadfast love that last for eternity?! 

Repentance and forgiveness are free and everlasting, keep reminding yourself of that. The great and marvellous truth is that God, ‘forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. You withdrew all your wrath’. ALL sin, ALL wrath is covered by the blood of Jesus. Past, present, future and repetitive sin are dealt with by the sacrifice of Jesus. You are not good enough or strong enough to get through these things alone, but God is. So trust Him to equip you in overcoming habits, addiction and sin. Let God speak His peace to you, and allow yourself to accept His forgiveness and restoration.

As this psalm acknowledges, God has dealt with sin once and for all, forever. I know that we all get caught in sin, addictions and unhelpful and unholy habits. This is an age old problem, the Israelites in the Old Testament recognised it, and Paul puts it so well in the New Testament, ‘I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 1 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.’ (Romans 7:19-19) Paul goes onto say that with our minds we can know the law of God and desire to follow it, but our bodies have sinful desires that we are battling against. He cries out, ‘Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!’ It is a real battle within yourself that you need to keep on fighting. People throughout time have had the same difficulties. So instead of concerning yourself with your wretchedness, think about Jesus, the peace and goodness of God, and imagine the glory and the relief when one day this battle is ended as you’ve become free! Paul’s advice is, ‘to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace’ (Romans 8:6). This is not to say you should deny or ignore the fact that what you are doing is wrong - of course you should, you should repent and thank God for forgiveness and the strength to continue the battle. What Paul is saying though, is that you should spend less time worrying or ashamed about what you are doing wrong, and spend more time thinking about God - set your mind right. Think about what the Spirit of God has already changed within you, read the Word to see what else He can do. Put yourself in situations where you can, ‘hear what God the Lord will speak’ for ‘surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him’. Therefore when facing a stronghold in your life, grow in your understanding of the greatness of God, spend more time thinking about Him and His greatness than you do about the hardship. Pay attention to and focus on the goodness and grace of God, ‘set your mind’. You get to choose what you think about, so are you consumed with thoughts about sin, or thoughts about the enormity, love, grace, joy and forgiveness of God? 

Are you as close as the birds?

Psalm 84:1–12 (ESV): 

1  How lovely is your dwelling place, 

O Lord of hosts! 

 2  My soul longs, yes, faints 

for the courts of the Lord; 

  my heart and flesh sing for joy 

to the living God. 

 3  Even the sparrow finds a home, 

and the swallow a nest for herself, 

where she may lay her young, 

  at your altars, O Lord of hosts, 

my King and my God. 

 4  Blessed are those who dwell in your house, 

ever singing your praise! Selah 

 5  Blessed are those whose strength is in you, 

in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 

 6  As they go through the Valley of Baca 

they make it a place of springs; 

the early rain also covers it with pools. 

 7  They go from strength to strength; 

each one appears before God in Zion. 

 8  O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; 

give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah 

 9  Behold our shield, O God; 

look on the face of your anointed! 

 10  For a day in your courts is better 

than a thousand elsewhere. 

  I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God 

than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 

 11  For the Lord God is a sun and shield; 

the Lord bestows favour and honour. 

  No good thing does he withhold 

from those who walk uprightly. 

 12  O Lord of hosts, 

blessed is the one who trusts in you! 

Even the birds are loved, protected and cared for by God and can make their way as close to God as to His courts and altar. These are inner, intimate spaces and the birds have freedom of access as well as proximity to God. Yet these creatures have no understanding of the significance or privilege it is to be able to enter the temple let alone get so close! Yet they still have permission to enter and abide there. 

As people, those made in His image, God invites us to have the same boldness and freedom to get as close to Him as the birds can. You can not only approach the altar; the place of sacrifice, forgiveness, celebration and gratitude, but you can abide there. You can live from a place of comfort and safety knowing that all your sins are forgiven. They are all dealt with by Almighty God’s sacrifice of His son. You have permission to enter God’s dwelling place and you can get as close as you like, just ike the birds. You can be one of the blessed who not only visit but, ‘dwell in your house, ever singing your praise’! You can live from a place of acknowledging and resting in the sacrifice of Jesus, the freedom, love, security and forgiveness this brings. The power of knowing and dwelling in the truth that Jesus has made a way for you to enter into God’s presence, not just as a one off, but that you can even live in His presence forever, is something that deserves celebrating every day. This truth never changes, and God wishes you to feel welcome and as free as the birds; to come, live and increase in His presence. Come and make your ‘nest’ in the midst of God’s dwelling place, and build your family on the altar for it is a place of protection, certainty and joy. The sacrifice of Jesus provides you with hope and forgiveness, love, security and comfort, what more could you want than the promise of proximity to God for you and your family?

This psalm also talks about the courts of the temple which is the place of community. This is a chance to gather with others, listen to teaching and participate in worship. If you are living acknowledging and appreciating the presence of God in your life, you also have the freedom and the privilege of celebrating, worshipping and gathering with a range of other believers. Not only is it good for you to have an intimate relationship with God as at the altar, but you are also free to build relationships with other believers who learn and teach the scriptures, encourage and provide for one another, eat, sing, praise, pray, play and talk to each other! The courts are as accessible to the birds as the altar, and so you have the opportunity to participate in community. God has given you a home, and He has given you a family of believers with whom you can grow and enjoy life with.

What a joyful privilege it is to be welcomed and free to explore God’s own home like the birds - exploring and resting in His presence. Nowhere else could be as safe, comforting or exciting as that. ‘the Lord bestows favour and honour. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly’. God will take care of you when you come to Him, you are safe with Him and you won’t lack good things when you live your life close to Him. You cannot know His favour, honour, protection, love or greatness from a distance - it is from the altar and the courts - in His dwelling place that you experience these things in great measure. How close are you to God? and His people? 

‘For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.’

Praying for your enemies

 Psalm 83:1–18 (ESV):  

1  O God, do not keep silence; 

do not hold your peace or be still, O God! 

 2  For behold, your enemies make an uproar; 

those who hate you have raised their heads. 

 3  They lay crafty plans against your people; 

they consult together against your treasured ones. 

 4  They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; 

let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” 

 5  For they conspire with one accord; 

against you they make a covenant— 

 6  the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, 

Moab and the Hagrites, 

 7  Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, 

Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; 

 8  Asshur also has joined them; 

they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah 

 9  Do to them as you did to Midian, 

as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, 

 10  who were destroyed at En-dor, 

who became dung for the ground. 

 11  Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, 

all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, 

 12  who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves 

of the pastures of God.” 

 13  O my God, make them like whirling dust, 

like chaff before the wind. 

 14  As fire consumes the forest, 

as the flame sets the mountains ablaze, 

 15  so may you pursue them with your tempest 

and terrify them with your hurricane! 

 16  Fill their faces with shame, 

that they may seek your name, O Lord. 

 17  Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; 

let them perish in disgrace, 

 18  that they may know that you alone, 

whose name is the Lord, 

are the Most High over all the earth. 

This is certainly a prayer of frustration, Asaph has had enough of the irritating behaviour of the enemies of Israel. He knows who they are, he names them and asks for God to wipe them out. He is fed up of his nation being threatened and harassed by so many others, so he asks God to radically deal with these enemies. The people of God have a lot of enemies and they will always have someone out to get them. The enemy will cause defeat and disasters and entice people to act on his behalf, so those that belong to God are going to have a hard time. Life can feel like a battle, but i heard someone say the other day - suffering happens just because you are human, so would you rather go though these struggles with or without God?! It is a great question to ponder. Some people allow the frustrations, problems and battles to destroy their faith, instead of allowing their faith to destroy their enemies. 

Asaph feels like not just that his life is problematic, but that the whole of the nation is in trouble. Yet he does not allow the trouble to define his faith, but he allows his faith and knowledge of God reframe the problem. Asaph not only recounts the numerous enemies, and the vastness of the situation, but also remembers the bigness of God, and numerous times God has brought salvation for Israel. Asaph knows that the greatest way to fight and reduce the enemies power is to pray. So he prays that these enemies will become as ‘whirling dust' and that they would be so humbled and depleted that those left will be ashamed of their behaviour. He has read and heard about the previous times that God has saved Israel, so he has faith in the power and authority of God to do it again. He is certain that when God turns His face towards Israel, they will be restored and the enemies devastated. 

What is your response when you feel got at, disappointed, angered and like you have a battle to face? Do you approach God to tell Him what is going on and trust Him to act in such a way that brings relief and rescue, and will even cause the enemies to recognise the mightiness of God? 

Asaph seems to change his mind through the psalm as to what he wants to happen to these foes. At first he speaks of the enemies being ‘destroyed’, and ‘dung for the ground’. However, verses 15-18 show that Asaph has a different outcome that he desires. For he asks that these enemies will be terrified and shamed by God. So that, ‘they may seek your name, O Lord’. Maybe this was influenced by the Holy Spirit as Asaph became more passionate in prayer and the Holy Spirit guided him in his words, so that he could see a greater outcome than complete annihilation. For which would be better; That the enemies not only bow their knees and heads to Israel, but to ‘the Most High over all the earth’ or that they were simply destroyed? 

The desire through any trouble, difficult circumstance or battle should be that God will be seen and known. That He is seen to protect and fight for those who love and obey Him, and that He can and will forgive and save the enemies of His people if they humble themselves and repent. No person is too great an enemy of God or his people that they cannot come to know the love and power of Almighty God. I mean, consider Saul becoming Paul - what a miraculous salvation occurred in his life! (Acts 9) When you see people persecuting those loved by God, why not pray like Asaph does, that their power will be destroyed, and that they will recognise the glory, majesty and terrifying power of the Lord God? Imagine the impact of a few modern day Paul stories - how would that change your life, your town, your nation or even the world?! 

So, why not pray like Asaph did? Ask God to pursue those enemies, to terrify them so that they seek the name of God. Then they will humble themselves in shame and repentence and glorify the Most High over all the earth. Surely, better than the demise and destruction of any enemy, it is better to see them acknowledging their sin and turning in shame to God. Living the rest of their lives in the humble realisation that God is Most High. If Saul hadn’t of had that encounter and become Paul can you imagine what would not have happened? For a start, almost half the books in the New Testament would not exist! We are grateful for and marvel at Saul’s conversion, but that happened after years of him tormenting and persecuting God’s own. People would have been praying for his reputation and power to end, and it did, just not in the way most people expected. This event and encounter in one man’s life led to the gospel spreading, churches built, the gentiles receiving salvation and other leaders invested in and grown. All because an enemy of God was terrified, humbled and ashamed, and was able to receive the forgiveness and salvation that God invites everyone to enjoy. Who do you need to pray for today so that God’s name can be glorified and His goodness spread throughout the Earth once again?

O God; let your face shine

 Psalm 80:1–19 (ESV):  

1  Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, 

you who lead Joseph like a flock. 

 You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. 

 2  Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, 

  stir up your might 

and come to save us! 

 3  Restore us, O God; 

let your face shine, that we may be saved! 

 4  O Lord God of hosts, 

how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? 

 5  You have fed them with the bread of tears 

and given them tears to drink in full measure. 

 6  You make us an object of contention for our neighbours, 

and our enemies laugh among themselves. 

 7  Restore us, O God of hosts; 

let your face shine, that we may be saved! 

 8  You brought a vine out of Egypt; 

you drove out the nations and planted it. 

 9  You cleared the ground for it; 

it took deep root and filled the land. 

 10  The mountains were covered with its shade, 

the mighty cedars with its branches. 

 11  It sent out its branches to the sea 

and its shoots to the River. 

 12  Why then have you broken down its walls, 

so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? 

 13  The boar from the forest ravages it, 

and all that move in the field feed on it. 

 14  Turn again, O God of hosts! 

Look down from heaven, and see; 

  have regard for this vine, 

 15  the stock that your right hand planted, 

and for the son whom you made strong for yourself. 

 16  They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down; 

may they perish at the rebuke of your face! 

 17  But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, 

the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself! 

 18  Then we shall not turn back from you; 

give us life, and we will call upon your name! 

 19  Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! 

Let your face shine, that we may be saved! 

Have you ever considered the power of God’s face? Just His face?! The people of Israel here are calling for God to, ‘let your face shine, that we may be saved’! God’s ability to transform a situation just needs Him to turn and look at it. He doesn’t need to speak or show mighty powerful works, he can just look - isn’t that incredible! 

In this psalm we see that people of Israel realised that they needed God’s attention, for Him to glance at them so that their situation would change. This is why they repeatedly ask for His face to shine upon them. They understood the glorious goodness of having God’s gaze upon them. Having his attention makes a difference. The people knew that if God turned towards them they would recognise His beauty, power and holiness and that would change and transform their trouble into triumph. 

Sometimes, like the Israelites, we can feel abandoned, worthless, limited and feeble like a weedy vine (v8), but when God looks at it, it it can become deep rooted and fill the land (v9-11). This is the kind of transformation that occurs when God’s face shines towards us. Weakness becomes strength, despair turns to hope and degradation is exchanged for being lifted up. God's people knew this because they had heard the stories of the past, so they repeatedly asked God to turn towards them. To look, see and shine upon them, and they trusted that He would. When you call God’s attention to an issue and keep doing so, what do you expect to happen?

The Israelites did not ask for specifics, but they trusted that God would know what to do if He would only look at them. So this was their simple request - that God would come come and look. Just asking for God’s gaze upon the things that are troubling you bring a different perspective, and with God involved, who knows what the glorious solution will be?! Can you imagine the shining face of God looking at the things you are concerned about?

When i think about God’s face shining, it reminds me of Moses. The Israelites would have been familiar with the fact that when he spoke with God, Moses face shone. Yet Moses was just a human that caught something of the glory of God by being in His presence. Yet even Moses shining face was so blindingly powerful and terrifying that the people asked him to wear a veil so they felt more comfortable approaching and looking at him (Exodus 34:29-35). Moses was just a man. One who was privileged to speak with God, and the result was that he left God’s presence reflecting something of the glory of God. This human reflection was incredible, powerful and terrifying. So can you imagine how bright and glorious the actual face of God is?! This is the face that the Israelites in this psalm request to look at them. They want to see His glory, beauty, purity and blessing. So they ask for God to ‘look…see…have regard’ (v14) and ‘let your face shine’. The Israelites clearly understood the holiness, glory and power of God’s gaze. Do you?

Which situations would you like God to take a look at? Why not ask God to ‘let your face shine’ upon those and see what happens. Having God’s perspective can transform what is going on, for it will bring His glory, beauty and majesty. The psalm ends, ‘Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!’. I wonder what you would see and what salvation and restoration would come if you ask God to let His face shine in your life.